Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho said the authorities are formulating related guidelines under five goals, including improving rural living quality and preserving cultural heritage, as the government will launch an urban-rural integration pilot scheme this year.
Proposed in this year’s Budget, the HK$200 million "Northern Metropolis Urban-Rural Integration Fund" pilot scheme aims to encourage non-governmental organizations and relevant groups in driving rural tourism under the city’s "Tourism Is Everywhere" campaign. Under the scheme, subsidies will be offered to restore private land, village houses, or ancestral halls for projects with cultural and tourism value, allowing the inclusion of eateries and guesthouses.
In her latest blog update on Sunday, Linn unveiled plans for a "San Tin Time Trail" linking heritage sites including Tai Fu Tai Mansion and Man Ancestral Hall, alongside revitalization of old buildings such as the Lung Yeuk Tau Vegetable Collection Centre of the Fanling Vegetables Marketing Co-operative Society.
Additionally, the department is set to reserve sufficient public spaces between new development areas and villages for traditional events, including Jiao Festivals, also known as "Da Chiu", dragon and lion dances, Yu Lan Festival, and basin meal banquets as a continuation of intangible cultural heritage.
Liu Chiu-wing, assistant secretary of the Northern Metropolis Co-ordination Office, added that related restrictions will be relaxed on a trial basis in Yin Kong and Ho Sheung Heung, allowing the whole block or parts of the New Territories Exempted Houses to be converted into eateries, retail shops, or guesthouses.
It was added that clear fire safety and licensing guidelines will be rolled out this year to unlock the tourism and economic potential of rural areas.
In an attempt to unlock the value of quality farmlands under cultivation in neighboring areas, the pilot scheme will also support projects combining agricultural activities with natural scenery, leisure, sightseeing, and farm produce sales, such as the "farm-to-table" model.
The Development Bureau plans to seek funding from the Legislative Council's Finance Committee in the fourth quarter of this year.
Heung Yee Kuk chairman Kenneth Lau Ip-keung welcomed the pilot scheme, describing it as a milestone reflecting "breakthrough thinking and practical support" from the government.
